Pilgrims carried or brought back emblems from their pilgrimage.

From Jerusalem – a palm
From Rome – keys
From Santiago de Compostela – a scallop shell

These emblems were a means of identifying pilgrims from other traders, travellers, etc.

Pilgrims were protected citizens by papal and royal decree.  A sort of international law exempted them from taxes, tolls and tariffs, entitled them to charity and safe-conduct through regions at war, and imposed severe punishment on anyone who robbed or killed a pilgrim.

The scallop shells symbolised the miraculous powers of St James. He is never seen without one.

The origins of this symbol are not clear but for Christians there are two legends:

A young nobleman was carried by a runaway horse into the sea near Padron. He was saved from drowning by St James who emerged from the sea with shells clinging to his garments.

A slight variation is that the young widow of a drowned man prayed to St James, whereupon her bridegroom rose from the sea covered in scallop shells.

In fact in pre-Christian times there was a Roman Road, the via Triana which the pilgrim route now follows, to the temple of Venus at Cape Finisterre. Cape Finisterre (the end of the earth) is about 80km west of Santiago on the Atlantic Coast.

One of the icons of the pagan religion was the scallop shell. It was a symbol of fertility and rebirth and used as a talisman to ward off evil.

The scallop shell icon was appropriated by the Christian Church and is now the symbol of the Camino.

Today the shell is used as a stylised logo and way finding sign all along the routes.